Compton, Taylor dig England out of trouble on Day 1

With the help of  three wickets tone from South African pacer Steyn, South Africa made a great start In the first test match between England and South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban, on Saturday.

James Taylor (right) discussing few words with team mate Nick Compton. 

South African captain Hashim Amla might have hoped a little bit of help for bowlers from the wicket when he won the toss and sent England in to bat in overcast conditions. Initial phase of the game proved Amla’s decision to be correct when English team lost his three crucial wickets just at a total of 49 runs in 18 overs.

Steyn dismissed Alastair Cook and Alex Hales, the England openers, very early to the start of the game and hence it led the England’s first inning instability as they lost their two more wickets on the same day and England could have only a small total of 179 runs with a loss of four crucial wickets.

Steyn did not concede a run in the 3.1 overs he bowled before lunch. Off-spinner Dane Piedt took the wicket of Joe Root for 24 with his first ball of the match.

After rain delayed the start, only 27 minutes of cricket was possible before rain brought an early lunch, while there was a 22-minute rain break during an extended afternoons play.

Steyn, who had not played any cricket since suffering a groin injury on the first day of a series in India on November 5, found his rhythm almost immediately and had skipper Cook caught at second slip by Elgar for a duck off the fifth ball of his second over of the game.

James Taylor and Nick Compton compiled gritty half-centuries which lead English team to a total of 179 for four after the end of the game of first day at Durban.

Both these batsmen fought very well against the pace attack of South African pacers and hence restricted any further fall of wickets as both batsmen got a huge partnership of 125 runs for the fourth wicket.

This partnership of 125 runs for fourth wicket lead the England total score to 179 runs after the end of the game of first day. In the 64th over of the game of day 1, Steyn once again got the valuable wicket of James Taylor, who was caught by De Villiers. Dale 

Steyn broke this partnership to bring back the South Africans into the game.

James Taylor and Nick Compton dug England out of trouble on a rain-hit first day of the first Test against South Africa after having half centuries for each, but Taylor got out by Steyn at the end of the day. Nick Compton is still on the field with his marvelous inning in which he has added 63 after facing 179 deliveries, which also include 4 boundaries.

England’s first inning total is now very much dependent upon this tremendous inning played by Nick Compton. Nick would like to bat more on the second day of the game and English team would like to have a good total of at least 350 runs over this ground. We hope to have a good fight between bat and ball on the second day of the game.